Save me from your nightmares
by RocketFAN
Summary: After waking up from horrific nightmares night after night, Severus Snape turns to the one person he knows will understand and may be able to help him… Harry Potter. Especially because it is Harry’s nightmares he is having! Set during OOTP. Complete
1. Chapter 1: Visions of the past

**Save me from your nightmares**

By RocketFAN

**Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer applies. Do not own this or that and just like to borrow. **

**Chapter 1: Visions of the past **

"_**HELP ME! NO, PLEASE! NO!!"**_

The terrified sound of Lily Potter's pleading voice echoed in Severus Snape's head as he violently tossed and turned in his troubled sleep.

"No…," Severus groaned as the horrific images flashed behind his tightly shut eyes.

"Please…no…," he whimpered tearfully as he gripped the sheets and thrashed his head from side to side on his owl feather pillow.

"_**NO!!**_**"** His screams echoed through the dungeons as he woke abruptly to find himself surrounded by the darkness of the late hour. He sat up in his bed and wiped the sweat from his face while trying to calm his fast and heavy breathing. It had only been a dream… a nightmare… _another _nightmare… another one of _Harry's_ nightmares.

* * *

Harry Potter sat with his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger as they ate breakfast in the great hall. The Gryffindor table was unusually empty as only a dozen or so Gryffindor's joined them for breakfast.

"You had another nightmare last night, Harry," Ron said as he re-filled his goblet with the delicious pumpkin juice that was always plentiful at breakfast.

"Sorry," Harry said softly as he knew he was waking Ron up every night with his screams of terror from the nightmares that had plagued him all his life. However, they had been more frequent and terrifying lately. The images of his mother being murdered and the sounds of her terrified screams filled his dreams and terrorized his mind.

"It's alright, mate," Ron said sweetly as he gripped Harry's shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze.

"It's gotten worse lately, though. It seems like ever since I started my Occlumency lessons with Professor Snape," Harry said while staring down at the toast triangle on his plate.

"That's strange since it's supposed to help you _control_ your thoughts," Hermione said as she daintily took a small bite of her toast.

"It's such a strange feeling when he is trying to invade my mind. It's like he's peering into my head and forcing me to relive my worst memories," Harry explained the lessons he had been having with Professor Snape for the last week.

"He's trying to help-," Hermione began, but was cut off by Harry.

"He's not trying to help _me_, Hermione! He's only doing it because Dumbledore told him to! Do you actually think Snape would do _me_ a favor?" Harry shouted angrily as the past several sleepless nights finally caught up to him.

"Harry?" Ron said, surprised at Harry's sudden anger. "Are you all right?" He asked gently.

"I'm fine, Ron! And I wish everyone would stop asking me that!" Harry yelled as he got up from the table and stormed off.

"I'm worried about him, Ron," Hermione said in a hushed voice as she leaned in closer to Ron.

"Me, too. He's been so irritable lately. But I suppose it's from the lack of sleep," Ron said in the same hushed voice as Hermione.

"Yeah, I suppose," Hermione said concernedly.

Harry stomped down the hall and stopped in front of the door that led to the Gryffindor common room. He was breathing heavily and his hands were shaking with mix of anger and exhaustion. Why did these horrific nightmares plague him night after night? Why couldn't he just be normal?

* * *

Professor Snape was in his office grading the essays from his second year Potions class. He was having trouble concentrating due to his lack of sleep and inability to rid his mind of the disturbing images. The sound of Lily Potter begging for her son's life to be spared was like a hot knife through his heart. The sight of her being mercilessly struck down by the Dark Lord was almost unbearable to witness. Severus had loved Lily while they were at school together, but he had lost her love to Harry's father, James. This had haunted Severus for the rest of his life and not a day went by that he did not wish he could have had a second chance. He started to nod off when someone knocked softly on the metal door.

"Professor Snape?" Harry's voice was muffled on the other side of the thick, heavy dungeon door.

"Oh, Potter…," Severus scoffed to himself as he looked at the clock on the wall. He had forgotten about Harry's Occlumency lesson and was not really feeling up to it.

"Sir?" Harry said a little louder.

"Ugh, go _away_, Potter!" Snape groaned while pointing his wand at the door and locking it.

"Um, but Sir… I- I thought I had a lesson… today," Harry's voice was shaky as he questioned Professor Snape's request.

"Consider it _**cancelled!**_" Snape's voice was filled with annoyance as he yelled through the door, causing Harry to flinch and jump back slightly. However, after 5 years, Harry had learned not to fear the Potions master anymore. In fact, 2 years ago, they had actually bonded while they were both confined to the hospital wing. Nevertheless, since then, there had been a serious …lack… of tender moments between them.

"Professor? Are you all right?" Harry said as a sense of frustration with Snape came over him. This was the third lesson in a week that Snape had tried to cancel. Harry was considering going to Dumbledore, but quickly thought better of it.

"None of your business, Potter! Go away!" Snape's voice sounded more distressed than angry this time and Harry decided to make a very bold move.

"_Alohamora_," he said as the dungeon door clicked, unlocked, and flew open.


	2. Chapter 2: Misguided Anger

**Save me from your nightmares**

By RocketFAN

**Chapter 2: Misguided Anger**

"Potter!" Snape yelled angrily as Harry forcibly entered his office.

"What is going on with you, Professor? Why do you keep canceling my Occlumency lessons?" Harry stormed angrily towards Severus, who was now on his feet.

"How dare you, Potter! I told you to go away!" Severus was livid as Harry stood his ground. Severus Snape no longer intimidated him and he knew it. As Harry got a closer look at him, he could see the fatigue that was written all over his sallow face. His dark, piercing eyes were hallowed and rimmed with dark circles. They were also filled with an emotion that Harry had never seen in them before… fear. Severus Snape was scared… but of what?

"Is everything all right, Professor?" Harry said as he lowered his wand as the sight of Snape taking a step back. He was retreating from Harry as if he was afraid of him.

"Your Occlumency lessons will no longer take place," Severus sneered as Harry tucked his wand back into his back pocket.

"Why not?" Harry asked while taking a step back himself.

"I refuse to further bear the weight of your… troubled past," Severus said through clenched teeth as he tried to contain his anger with Harry for forcibly entering his office.

"_My_ past? What do you mean?" Harry asked him, confused by Snape's statement.

"By penetrating your mind, I have un-intentionally intercepted your worst memories. Memories that have embedded themselves in _my_ mind and refuse to let themselves out," Severus explained while backing Harry up against the wall and gripping his collar in anger.

"My-my memories? You've been seeing my worst memories?" Harry stammered as Snape's tight grip on his collar choked him.

"Seeing… hearing… _re-living_," Severus hissed at him, reminding Harry why he was the Head of Slytherin House.

"I-I'm sorry," Harry choked while unsuccessfully trying to wriggle out of his tightening grip. "Let go!" He said weakly as he desperately tried to pry Snape's fingers loose from his neck as they were now digging into his skin.

"_**You're**_ sorry?!_**You're**_ sorry, Potter?!" Severus was as mad as Harry had ever seen him. His tight grip on Harry's throat suddenly loosened and Harry fell to his knees as his head rushed from the several minutes of being strangled.

"This wasn't my idea!" Harry sobbed as he scrambled for his wand but was too dizzy to retrieve it before the intense lightheadedness caused him to fall back against the wall. "Please…," his pleading voice was so much like his mother's the night she was murdered.

"Get up, Potter," Snape's voice was almost sympathetic as he pulled Harry up by his arm and shoved him toward the door. "I suggest you listen to me next time I tell you to _go away_," he added in a tone that Harry could only take as a warning as he was tossed viciously out of the room.

"Oh…my…," Harry panted breathlessly as the heavy metal door slammed behind him, causing the entire hallway to rattle.

* * *

On the other side of the door, Severus was almost as surprised as Harry was at his behavior. He had never lost control like that, especially with a student… an innocent student who had done nothing to him that he could possibly control. Shaking and panting from his emotional outburst, he leaned back against the closed door and slid down to the floor. His cruel and unfair treatment of Harry hurt him as much as it hurt the person it was aimed at. How could he have been so horrible to the boy that had already been through so much pain in his life?

"Damn it…," Severus whimpered helplessly as he sat on the cold ground and pulled his knees into his chest. "Harry… I'm so sorry…," he sobbed while burying his face in his hands. However, it was too late as the room hung in eerie silence. The echo of his harsh words rang in his head.


	3. Chapter 3: You are not alone

**Save me from your nightmares**

By RocketFAN

**Chapter 3: You are not alone**

Harry breathlessly climbed the cold, stone stairs from the dungeon and headed to the Gryffindor common room. When he arrived, shaken and out of breath, Ron and Hermione were sitting at the table studying for their O.W.L.'s.

"Harry, are you all right?" Hermione asked him as she jumped out of her seat and ran up to him.

"F-fine," Harry had never been a very good liar and his confrontation with Professor Snape was written all over his face.

"Harry…," Hermione said while noting the distressed look on his face. "What happened? I thought you had an Occlumency lesson," she added while recalling that he had mentioned it earlier.

"Snape cancelled it… again," Harry said while sitting down on the couch in the middle of the room.

"How come?" Ron asked innocently, oblivious to Harry's look of distress as usual.

"I guess he has his reasons," Harry replied softly, not willing to explain what Snape had told him about his memories backfiring on him.

"Oh…," Hermione said as she sat back down at the table with Ron, knowing for sure that Harry was hiding something.

* * *

Severus had gone back to grading his essays after he had summoned up enough energy to get up off the floor and dry his eyes. He was on his last essay when he could no longer fight the fatigue that was threatening to engulf him. He skimmed the essay briefly and gave it a "B" after seeing that it was written by a 2nd year Slytherin. Much to Dumbledore's dislike, he had always favored the students in his house, and did not even bother to check the essay for errors before giving it such a good grade (for him at least).

"Oh, finally," Severus sighed as he got up from the uncomfortable chair, tossed the paper on top of the pile of graded work, and walked up the stairs to his quarters. "_Lumos_", he said as the dark room illuminated with an eerie blue light. He removed his heavy, black robe, tossed it on the chair and sat on the edge of his bed. Sleep was one of the few things that brought Snape peace, but he now feared and dreaded it as he knew it would bring nothing but painful and vivid nightmares instead. With an apprehensive sigh, he laid back and waited for his exhausted mind and body to succumb to the sleep he so desperately needed.

* * *

Several stories above the dungeon, Harry Potter tossed and groaned in his sleep.

"No…," he whimpered helplessly as the sight of his mother being murdered flashed in his mind.

Her screams were like a hot knife in his heart. Even though he was just a baby when she was killed, the memory of her desperately clinging to him in her final moments was as vivid as it could possibly be. "Mum…," Harry's tearful whimpering woke Ron up once again.

"Harry? You alright, mate?" Ron asked gently from his bed that was a few feet away from Harry's. Harry did not respond, yet continued to moan and whimper in his sleep. "Sleep tight," Ron said to Harry, though he knew he wouldn't hear him, as he lay back down and quickly fell back to sleep.

* * *

"Lumos…," Harry said softly as he quietly got out of bed and grabbed his jacket. He was tired, yet restless and decided to go for a walk and get some fresh air. Coincidently, Severus Snape had decided to do the same.

Harry walked through the open courtyard that sat in the dead center of Hogwarts. He shuddered as the chill of the moonlit night swept over him. He sat on the cold, stone bench and buried his face in his hands.

"Why must every moment of my life be _agony_? Even my sleep can't be peaceful… _**WHY?! **_Why do so many horrible things keep happening to me?!" Harry screamed and sobbed as all of his pain, fears, and frustrations finally caught up with him. He fell to his knees and collapsed into a ball on the cold, hard floor.

Snape had just sat down on the bench outside the courtyard when he heard Harry's screams and sobs. He immediately recognized the voice and hesitantly decided to follow it. When he walked under the arch that led to the courtyard, he saw Harry crumpled up on the floor, crying hysterically. He slowly approached the boy as he continued to sob so hard that he was gasping for air.

"Potter? Are you all right?" He asked Harry gently while kneeling down next to him and placing a comforting hand on the boys shaking shoulders. Harry looked up through his tear filled eyes and gasped softly as he realized whom it was.

"P-prof-professor S-Snape?!" Harry stammered through harsh sobs as he scrambled into a sitting position, knowing it was too late and Snape had already seen him in the most vulnerable emotional state he had ever been in.

"Harry… what are you doing out here?" Severus asked him while taking his hand off his shoulder and helping him sit up. Much to Harry's relief, and surprise, Snape seemed more _concerned_ about why Harry was outside at 2 o'clock in the morning than angry.

"I-I couldn't sleep…," Harry said tearfully as he wiped his eyes and nose with his sleeve.

"You're going to freeze to death out here," Severus said while taking off his heavy black cloak and wrapping it around a shivering Harry's shoulders. Being that Severus was over a foot taller than Harry, the boy nearly drowned in the thick, heavy material. Nevertheless, he immediately stopped shivering as the warmth of it protected him from the chill of the cold night.

"I-I'm sorry… a-about today," Harry said while pulling the cloak tighter around him.

"Oh, Harry… you have nothing to be sorry about. It's _me_ who should be sorry… and I am," Severus' voice was strangely comforting. Harry discovered two years ago that Severus did in fact, have another side to him that not too many people had seen, or even heard of… a kind and gentle side.

"It's okay…," Harry sniffled as his breathing finally calmed.

"No… it's not. It's just that…," Severus began softly while tenderly wiping away Harry's stray tears with the black, silk handkerchief that he had pulled out of his pocket.

"You've been seeing my memories of my mother being murdered," Harry said as if reading Snape's mind.

"Yeah…," Severus replied while looking Harry straight in the eye. Even in the dim light of the moon, he could see the women he had once loved staring back at him. He had loved Harry's mother Lily while they were in school together. Her most striking feature was her emerald green eyes… the only physical attribute that Harry had inherited from his mother.

"I'm sorry… I wouldn't wish that on anyone," Harry said while his emotions mixed with the serious lack of sleep, once again, overwhelmed him as he broke down into tears.

"I know… its okay, Harry," Severus said softly as he pulled Harry into a tight and loving hug. "At least you're not alone," he added while Harry leaned into his shoulder and took full advantage of the comfort of being held… even if it was by Severus Snape.

**A/N: I know that there are dirty, dirty minds out there (I own one myself), but please do not interpret the "tenderness" between Snape and Harry as anything even close to slash! ****It's more of a "father-son" sort of tender loving care.**


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